The present invention relates generally to new and novel data collection systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to data collection systems which track the movement of customers when shopping in large scale stores such as supermarkets and the like.
The display of articles and how to position the passages in a store are quite important from the viewpoints of business tactics such as the influence thereof on the sales of individual merchandise articles, the relief of congestion, the elevation of the image of the store, the effective utilization of floor space and the like.
Furthermore, it is desirable to review whether articles are properly displayed and whether the passages are properly positioned from the above mentioned viewpoints to alter or improve the above as the case may be.
In order to review the articles and passages as mentioned above, it is desirable to track the moving course of customers and the state of congestion occurring in the store.
One known prior art arrangement for tracking the moving course of customers while shopping is described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Specification No. 82287/86. In this prior art arrangement, a transmitting device is attached to something the customer carries while shopping and receivers are installed for receiving a signal output from the transmitting device when the transmitting device comes within a predetermined distance of the receivers in an institution or store. This allows the moving course of customers to be calculated from the signal receiving state of the receivers.
However, this prior art arrangement has the drawback that the transmitting device which transmits the data on the moving course of customers is attached to something customers are carrying and the receivers which receive the data are installed at various locations in the store, which is costly.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is the provision of a moving course data collection system which is capable of collecting data on the moving course of customers within a store.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a moving course data collection system which is capable of tracking the amount of time customers spend moving between various locations in a store.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of a moving course data collection system whereby a portable scanner is provided to customers which allows customers to input article code data for articles in the store customers wish to purchase. The display location of all articles in the store is stored. Thus, every time a customer inputs article code data, an approximation of the customer's position in the store is determined from the article code data input by the customer and the display location of that article in the store. This information is sequentially recorded, thereby collecting data on the customer's moving course through the store.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.